Winter is right around the corner. That means it is time to get your car ready for the harsh weather and temperatures. Making sure your car has antifreeze/coolant is extremely important. Your car needs to have liquid in the radiator system to protect the engine. Since the engine runs hot, the liquid helps keep it from overheating and cracking and the antifreeze keeps it from freezing in the winter. That is why the liquid in the radiator needs to be a 50/50 mix of antifreeze and water. This gives the maximum protection from boiling and freezing.

Your antifreeze/coolant needs to be checked several times a year but it only needs to be changed every 2 to 3 times a year. Check the manufactures recommendation. If the antifreeze/coolant is often low, even after being filled, it is likely that you have a leak. The leak can be in the radiator itself, but is usually in one of the hoses or clamps. Be sure to have the leak fixed so that you do not cause damage to the engine.